Simple Steps Help Curb Summer Sports Injuries

Safety tips are easy to follow and make a big difference

SATURDAY, June 22, 2002 (HealthDayNews) -- It's summertime, and sometimes, the livin' isn't so easy.

Bicycling, basketball, roller sports, soccer and baseball/softball are all in the sports hall of infamy when it comes to spring and summer recreation injuries.

They accounted for an estimated 2.2 children's broken bones, dislocations, and soft tissue injuries treated at U.S. emergency rooms, doctor's offices and clinics in 2000, at an estimated cost of $33 billion, says the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

The academy isn't suggesting kids retire from these sports but urges children and their parents to follow some important guidelines:

  • Know and abide by the rules of the sport.
  • Wear appropriate protective gear such as soccer shin pads, a bike helmet, or a hard-shell batting helmet.
  • Check equipment before you use it and know how to use it. For example, breakaway bases have reduced leg injuries in children playing baseball.
  • Always warm up and stretch before playing.
  • Avoid playing when tired or in pain.
  • If you're playing in hot weather, always drink plenty of fluids and rest in the shade if you start to feel dizzy or weak.

More information

Here is the complete listing of possible injuries and tips to avoid them from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

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